Guru's tips to slash grocery bills

SMART SHOPPING: Phil Lempert has advice that could save you money on your grocery bill.

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Kiwis are hunting for specials and buying no-name brands to shave dollars off the food bill, but will soon have high-tech ways to lower grocery shopping costs, says a visiting supermarket guru.

The recession of the last two years has seen shoppers here, in Australia and the United States alter the way they shop, says America-based market analyst and consumer trend spotter Philip Lempert, of supermarketguru.com.

Shoppers have returned to old-fashioned behaviours like shopping lists, coupon shopping and following specials rather than brands, he said.

But shoppers will soon be able to harness their cellphones to chase savings. Shoppers could scan the price of a product with their phone, then compare it against other retailers selling the same product within a 5km radius.

Such price comparison technology is already available in applications – or apps – able to be downloaded to smart phones (such as Google Android phones or the iPhone) and supermarket-specific software is being developed in Germany.

Food prices today are 8.1% higher than two years ago on average, according to Statistics New Zealand's prices manager Chris Pike.

Technology-driven trends in all facets of shopping will put more power back into the hands of consumers, with sweeping changes to the way we shop due in the next few years, Lempert says.

Online shopping for food is growing, he says. Already, as a result, supermarkets in America are getting smaller, and he predicts some food brands will disappear from shelves altogether, available only for order online – cutting out the supermarket mark-up margins, a saving for shoppers and the food producers.

He believes the way we acquire food will undergo a radical change. Buying online from producers also means more shoppers will start importing their food directly – buying cheese and chocolate from France, for instance. And that will create opportunity for New Zealand producers too.

"I might be able to buy a New Zealand cheese and crackers, and it all gets shipped to me in the same box in America," says Lempert.

Lempert is here next month to speak to the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council.

Council chief executive Katherine Rich agrees the importation of food would continue to grow as consumers became dissatisfied with being able to eat certain food only in certain seasons, or specialty foods made by certain manufacturers. New Zealand was no longer an Edam or meat and three-vege nation; our tastes are more varied and sophisticated, she says.

Lempert says the rise of online shopping for food also meant New Zealand food producers needed to get smarter about tapping into overseas consumers.

New Zealand needed to educate international consumers about its quality fresh food, building on our valuable clean, green image and agriculture sector, which showed we were in touch with land and food.

Lempert rates New Zealand's marketing of its food as "pretty useless" so far, especially compared to Australia.

"I don't think the average American knows much about New Zealand other than that it is near Australia."

Australia had done a much better job at marketing itself, by sharing its personality, than New Zealanders, who were more reserved.

6 WAYS TO SAVE

Use a shopping list. List shoppers save an estimated 25 percent on their shopping bill by eliminating impulse purchases.

Buy frozen produce over fresh – sometimes. When foods such as blueberries and strawberries are out of season, save money by going to the freezers.

Buy cans – sometimes. Use canned tomatoes to make your own pasta sauce, for a healthier, cheaper version.

Shop and eat in season. Fresh food is normally far cheaper (and probably fresher) when it's in season.

Avoid temptation – eat before you hit the store. The bakery and deli sections are placed near the entrance of stores to entice you to spend more.

Steer clear of the ends of aisles. Just because there is a huge display doesn't mean it's a good buy.

Source: www.supermarketguru.com

- © Fairfax NZ News